Friction draft-gear for railway-cars.



No. 878,821. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908. A. STUOKI.

FRICTION DRAFT GEAR FOR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1904.

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z A y e 00 K N [GURU No. 878,321. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908.

A. STUGKI. FRICTION DRAFT GEAR FOR RAILWAY CARS.

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APPLICATION FILED MAY 14. 1904.

VIII/III Ill/l llllllllll/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARNOLD STUOKI, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO FORSYTH BROTHERS COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,,.A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FBICTION IORAFT-GEAR FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

Application filed May 14. 1904. Serial No. 208.013-

Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

. My invention consists of certain improvements in the draft gear for railway cars, forming the subject of my Letters Patent, No. 727,485, dated May 5th, 1903, the objects of my resent invention being to provide a flexib e and easy draft gear for ordinary service when the shocks are only nominal, to revent distortion of the s ring interposed etWeen the friction mem ers of the gear without resorting to rounded or swingmg bearings for said spring, to simplify and cheapen the constructlon of'certain parts of the gear, and to increase the frictional bearin surface presented. These objects I attam in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1, is a sectional plan view of a friction draft gear for railway cars constructed in accordance with my present invention, Fig. 2,,is a side elevation of the same, Fig. 3, is a transverse section of the line 11-11, Fig. 1, but omitting the spring interposed between the friction members of the gear, Fig 1, is a sectional plan view of another form of friction draft gear embodying my invention, and Fi 5, is a sectional plan view showing still anot er embodiment of the invention.

Referring in the first instance to Figs. 1 and 2 and 3 of the drawing, 1, 1, represent the opposite draft sills of the car and 2 the draft bar of the coupling head. To the opposite sills 1 are secured front and rear bearmg plates or brackets 3 and 4, which serve,- respectively, as stops for front and rear followers 5 and 6, the forward brackets serving to prevent forward movement of the front follower 5, and the rear brackets serving to prevent rear movement of the rear follower 6.

Against the front face of the forward fol. lower 5 bears ablock 7, which is secured to the draft bar 2 of the coupling head and against the back face of the rear follower 6 bears a similar block 7, which is Secured to the usual yoke 8 with which the draft bar'is provided. I

In order to insure absolute rigidity in the longitudinal connection of the yoke 8 and draft bar 2, and to relieve the securing bolts of shearing strains to which they mlght otherwise be subjected, I provide the draft bar 2 with an enlar ed head or boss 2 and contract the ends 0 the yoke to overla and engage the shoulders of the draft ar thus formed, as shown in Fig. 2, bolts 8 serving to secure the yoke to the boss 2 and also tothe contracted portion of the draft bar in advance of said boss. A sin le shoulder and overlapping portion of the yo e may be suflicient in some cases, but I prefer to employ the pair of shoulders and the double overlap, as shown.

In the draft gear of my previous patent there was interposed between the front and rear followers a combined sprin and friction structure, comprising two mem ers with diagonal side plates bearing upon each other and end plates providing bearings for an interposed spring element, whereby, when said structure was subjected to strain in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the draft gear, the diagonally engaged members were caused to move laterally, compressing the sprin element between them. This structure have, for convenience, called a spring friction structure.

In the draft gear shown in Figs. 1 to 3, an intermediate follower 9 is employed, which canmove rearwardly in buffing, and forwardly in draft, and between said intermediate follower and the forward follower 5 is interposed a combined buffer and draft spring 10, which may be of any suitable character, that shown in the drawin bein a duplex sprin with heavy outer coil and lighter inner coiE The forward member of the spring friction structure resembles that of the former patent in having a front plate 11'for bearing against the follower 9, sideplates 12 with diagonal edges, and an end plate 13, which constitutes f one of the bearings for the interposed spring 14, the latter, in the present instance, being same, and hence has no movement except a the ences .in construction, Several important ad 13 and 16 for the spring 14 perpendicu forward movement with said follower when the latter is subjected to the strain of draft.

:Another difierence between the present gear and the one formerly patented is in the-disposition of the end plates 13 and 16, these plates being perpendicular to the diagonal bearing faces'of the side plates 12 and 16, instead of bein parallel with the longitudinal axis of raft gear. By reason-of these differvantages are attained. In thefirst place, the use of the spring 10 relieves the gear from many slight shocks and jars to which the former gear was subjected by the constant vibrations of the cars in ordinary service, which shocks were not of sufiicient-force to cause movement of the frictionally .engaged members of the'transverse springstructure, and hence had the same racking effectupon the gear as though no spring structure had been used.

By making the rear member of the spring wedgelike bearing surfaces for the front and rear blocks 7, so that longitudinal movement of said front and rear followers will be caused b lateral swinging of the coupling head dra t bar, as well as by direct buffing or draft strain thereupon.

In that embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 4, the-relation of the parts is slightly chan' ed, that is to say, the laterally sliding mem er of the casing for the spring 14 is the rear member, and has its bearing acter' as that shown in my. former patent, the forward member of the spring casing constituting art of the intermediate follower 9.

. The action of the draft gear in other respects however, is similar to that shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

' In the structure'shown in Fig. 4, the intermediate follower 9 has a projecting tubular casing 17 for the spring structure 10, which serves tolimit the approach of the followers 5 and 9, and thus prevents the exertion of excessive pressure upon the spring 10 when the coils of the same have been closed.

- As, in the structure shown in Fig. A, the frictional contact of the laterally sliding member of the spring casing with the follower 6 would tend'to impart corresponding -movement to the latter, and thus cause it to press as in the former draft gear, provided with said spring eraser in the direction of.the longitudinal axis of the gear, the main difference between this structure and that of the former atent being that the spring 10 is inter osed etween the forward follower 5 and theforward member of the casing for the spring 14.

In considering that feature of my invention which consists in making one of the I, members of the casing for the spring 14, in-

tegral; with the adjoining follower, it is, of

course, to be understood that .it is immaterial which member of the casing is thus constructed, and'it isalso immaterial whether the spring 10 and the intermediate follower are used in connection with the front follower or with the rear follower. While I prefer also that the end lates 13 and 16 of the ipring structure sha 1 be perpendicular to the iagonal bearings of the opposed members of said structure slight de artures from such perpendicular disposal of the plates may be adapted within the S00 e of my invention.

Having thus 'descri ed my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1. A. spring friction structure for the draft gear of railway cars, comprising a spring ele ment and frictionally engaged devices meeting in one diagonal plane and imparting pressure thereto, and a supplementary spring through which pressure is transmitted to friction structure, substantially as specified. I

2. A spring friction structure for the draft gear of railway .cars, said structure comprising a .spring element, members with side plates having diagonal bearin upon each other and end plates providing earings for the interposed spring element, and a supplementary spring, through a the medium -of which pressure is applied, substantially as specified.

3. A spring friction structure for ,thedraft gear of railway cars, having a spring element isposed diagonally in respectto the longitudinal axis of the draft gear, substantially as specified.

4. A spring friction structure for the draft gear'of railway cars, having a spring element isposed dia onally in respect to the longitudinal axis of the draft gear, and a supplementary spring parallel with the longitudinal axis of the draft gear and through which pressure is exerted u on said spring friction of followers, an elastic friction structure and structure, substantia ly as speclfie 5. A spring friction structure for the draft gear of railway cars, having a spring element disposed diagonally in respect to the longitudinal axis of the draft gear, and frictionally engaged devices for imparting pressure to said spring element in the direction of. its axis, substantially as specified.

I 6. -A spring friction structure for the draft gear of railway cars, having a spring element disposed dia onally in respect to the longitudinal axis of the draft gear, frictionally engaged devices for imparting pressure to said spring element in the direction of its axis,

and a supplementary spring parallel with the friction structure,substantia ly as s ecified.

7. A spring friction structure for t 1e draft gear of railway cars, said structure comprismg a spring element, and members with side plates having diagonal bearing upon each other and end plates roviding bearings for the interposed spring e ement, said end plates being substantially perpendicular to the diagonal bearings, substantially as specified.

8. A spring friction structure for the'draft gear of railway cars, said structure comprising a spring element and members with side plates having diagonal bearing upon each other and end plates providing bearings for the interposed spring element, said end plates beingi substantially perpendicular to the diagona bearings, and a supplementary spring through which pressure-1s im arted to said spring .friction structure, su stantially as specified.

9. The combination, in a draft gear for railway cars, of a draft bar, a follower acted upon thereby, a spring friction structure comprising a spring element and members with side plates having diagonal bearing upon each other and end plates providing bearings for the interposed spring element, and a supplementary spring throu h the medium of which pressure is exerted y said follower upon one of the members of said spring friction struoture substantially as specified.

10. Thecombination, in a draft gear for railway cars, of a draft bar, two followers acted upon thereby, one movable with the draft bar in bufling and'the other in draft, a spring friction structure comprising a spring element and members with side lates having diagonal bearing upon'each 0t er and end plates providing bearings for the interposed spring element, and a su plementary spring through the medium 0 which pressure is exerted b one of the followers upon one of the mem ers of said spring friction structure, substantially as specified.

11. In a draft'rigging mechanism, the combination with a draw-bar, of a plurality a supplemental elastic structure disposed between said followers, and a secondary follower located between said elastic friction structure and su plementary elastic structureand having fiearing upon a member of said elastic friction structure, substantially as specified.

12. In a draft rigging mechanism, the combination with a spring element disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the device, of a pair of members frictionally engaging each other and containing said spring element between them, one of said members constituting a follower, substantially as specified.

13. In a draft rigging mechanism, the combination with a pair ofend followers, of a combined friction and elastic resistance medium and a supplemental elastic resist ance medium interposed between said followers, and a follower located intermediate of said resistance mediums and having frictional engagement with one element of said combined friction and elastic resistance medium, substantially as specified.

14. The combination in a draft gear for railway cars, of a siring friction structure comprising frictiona 1y. engaged members, and an interposedspring element, a main follower acted on by the draft mechanism, an intermediate follower acting upon the spring friction structure, and a supplementary spring inter osed between said main and intsrmediate fol owers, substantially as specifie 15. The combination, in a draft gear for railway cars, of a draft bar, two followers acted upon thereby, one movable with the draft bar in buffing and the other in draft, an intermediate follower movable with the draft bar either in buffing or draft, a spring friction structure comprising a spring element and members with side plates having diagonal bearing upon each ot er and end plates providing bearings for the interposed spring element, said spring friction structure being contained between the intermediate follower and one of the end followers, and a supplementar spring interposed between the other end fol ower and the intermediate follower, substantially as specified.

- 16. The combination, in a draft gearfor railway cars, of a draft bar, a follower acted upon thereby, and a spring friction structure comprising a spring element and members with side plates having diagonal bearing upon each other, and end plates providing members with side plates having diagonal bearing upon each other and end plates providing bearings for the interposed spring element, and followers between which said spring friction structure is located, one of 7 said followers constituting part of one'of the diate follower movable with the draft bar either in buffing or draft, a spring friction structure comprising a spring-element and members with side lates having diagonal bearing upon each ot er and end plates providing bearings for the interposed s ring element, said spring friction structure eing interposed between one of the end followers and the intermediate follower and one of its members forming part of one of said followers, and a supplementary spring interposed between said intermediate follower and the.

other end follower, substantially as specified. 19. The combination, in a draft gear for railway cars, of a draft bar, front and rear followers, one movable with the draft bar in' buffing and the other in draft, an intermediate follower, movable with the draft bar either in buffing or draft, a spring friction structure comprising a spring element and members with side lates having diagonal bearing upon each ot er and end plates providing bearings for the interposed spring element, said spring friction structure being interposed between one end follower and the intermediate follower and one of its members forming part of one of said followers and the other having laterally sliding bearing upon the other follower, and a supplementary spring interposed between the intermediate follower and the opposite end follower, substantially as specified.

20. The combination, in a draft gear for railway cars, of a draft bar, front and rear followers, one movable with the draft bar in buffing and the other in draft, an intermediate follower, movable with the draft bar either in bufiing or draft, a spring friction structure comprising a spring element and members with side lates having diagonal bearing upon each ot er and end plates providing bearings for the interposed spring element, one of said members forming a part of the intermediate follower and having lateral enga ement with one of the end followers, and t e other member having a sliding bearing upon said end follower, and. a supplementary spring interposed between said intermediate follower and the other end follower, substantially as specified.

21. The combination, in a draft gear for railway cars, of a spring friction structure comprisinga spring element and members having side plates with dia onal bearing upon each other and end p ates forming bearings for the interposed s ring element, and a follower against 'whic .one of said members bears and on which it can slide laterally, said follower having lateral engagement with the other member of the spring structure, substantially as specified.

22. A spring friction structure for the draft gear of railway cars, comprisin a sprin element and a pair of devices ictiona y engaging each other, and containing between them said spring element, and a supplementary spring through which pressure is transmitted to said sprin friction structure, substantially as specific 23. A spring friction structure for the draft gear of railway, cars, comprising a spring element and a frictionally engaging eac abutments forsaid spring element, and a plurality of devices supplementary spring through which pressure is transmitted to said s ring friction struoture, substantially as speclfied.

24. In a draft gear for railway cars, a spring friction structure provided with a plurality of members having diagonal fric tional bearing on each other, one of said members constituting a follower, and also an abutment for a spring element disposed at an angle to the draw bar.

25. In adraft gear for railway cars, a spring friction structure provided with a other. and forming plurality of members having diagonal frictional bearing on each other, and a spring element supported at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the device, one of said members being disposed transversely of the draw bar and constituting a follower and also an abutment for the spring member, substan tially as specified.

26. In a draft gear for railway cars, a spring friction structure provided with a pair of members having diagonal frictional engagement with each other, and an interposed spring element supportedat an angle to the longitudinal axis of the structure, one of said members constituting a follower and also an abutment for the spring element, substantially as described.

27. A frictional draft-rigging having friction elements and yielding mechanism inclined to the line of draft and connecting the friction elements, substantially as-described.

28. A friction draft-rigging comprising friction elements and an interposed spring 'mechanism which is inclined to the line of 30. A frictional draft-rigging com rising a case, opposite interposed friction f0 owers, and an inclined spring, substantially as described.

31. The combination in a draft gear for railway cars, of a draft bar having an enlarged head or boss, with a yoke extending above and below said boss and bent inwardly to engage the shouldered portion of the draft bar roduced by the boss, said yoke also exten ing parallel with the draft bar beyond the bent portions, with rivets passing through the top and bottom of the yoke and the boss, and a rivet passing through the extended parts of the yoke and that part of the draft bar between the same, substantially as described.

'32. The combination, in draft gear for railway cars, of the draft bar having an enlarged head or boss formed thereon, with a yoke secured to said boss and bent inwardl to engage the shouldered portion of the dra t bar produced by the enlarged head or boss thereon, said yo e also extending beyond the bent portion and having such extension secured to the draft bar in advance of the-head or boss.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ARNOLD STUCKI.

Witnesses:

J. P. FIFE, JEAN HENRY. 

